The Dragon’s Throne 1

“It looks like you can dance,” he said, letting his head fall back as he laughed heartily, completely unconcerned with the people who had gathered around the dance floor to stare at them.

“I didn’t mean that I couldn’t dance,” she said, her expression bemused.  “I meant that I couldn’t dance with you.”

“Ouch,” he said, still laughing.  “That was below the belt.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. 

“Don’t apologize.  I was only joking.  I didn’t even think to ask if you were spoken for before I asked you to dance.”

“I speak for myself.”

“I believe that.”

“You’re a lot happier than I pictured you.”

“Why?”

“I guess I didn’t think that the Dragon Prince would laugh so much.  Your father has a reputation for being very demanding and often angry.”

“He’s all smoke,” Eli said.

“Did you just make a WereDragon joke?”

“I did.  Did you like it?”

She rolled her eyes.

“And here I thought I was charming,” he said. 

His eyes were locked on hers, her skin warm through the layers of fabric between her waist and his hand.  He was racking his brain, trying to figure out why this woman was so familiar and coming up short.  It was going to drive him mad, but there was a possibility that she just reminded him of someone. 

“I have to go,” she said suddenly, stopping and standing in place.

“Just one more song.”

“We’ve danced through three.”

“I didn’t even notice.”

“People are staring.”

“Let them stare.”

She leaned closer.

“I understand that you do whatever you want, whenever you want, but my life isn’t like yours.  I have to live among these people, and I’m already an outcast.  Thank you for buying a dress, but I really must be getting back to the booth.”

She stepped away and he let her go, only then noticing that the dance floor had completely cleared and the only ones who had been dancing were Eli and Anna.  He understood then why she was so uncomfortable.  All eyes had been on them, and people would have questions for her.

But for Eli, there would be no questions.  He was a prince, and no one dare question him.

“Thank you for dancing with me,” he said, loudly enough for others to hear.  “You’re an excellent dancer.”

She walked away quickly, muttering a quick thank you and heading back to her booth.  He thought about following her, but he knew that would only make things harder for her.  Eli had a reputation with women and he could tell that Anna wasn’t the type of woman to sleep with a man just because the mood struck her.  She was far and away a completely different person than Marissa.

It was time for him to go, and now that he was walking away from Festival and toward the dirt path that would take him into Aman, he was excited to see his mother.  She was going to love the dress, and knowing that it had been created for her so long ago made it that much more special.

When he rounded the bend and he was sure that he was alone, he tossed his clothes into the bag with all the rest of his treasures and shifted quickly at the edge of the forest.  Grabbing the bag with one long hand, he launched himself into the air, heading straight for the heart of Aman and his parent’s mansion in the hills.  He couldn’t wait to present his mother with her gift, and he was anxious to see what his father would say when he found out that Eli had gone to Festival and nothing bad had happened.

Silas would probably be mad anyway, but Eli didn’t care.  If they wanted him to rule, he was going to do it his way, and that would include mingling with the commoners from time to time.  It was important for leaders to show their support for their subjects, and Eli wanted to be more than just a good leader.  He wanted to be a great leader, and he had ideas about how he would do that.  If Silas wanted to step aside and let Eli rule, he was going to have to accept that Eli was his own man with his own plan.

Feeling bolstered by his decision, he sped toward the mansion, leaving Festival and Anna behind.  Maybe he could convince his mother to hire her on as the royal seamstress, but if not, he might make that decision himself.  He could use someone as talented as her on his staff, and he was sure that he would be honored.  Who wouldn’t want to live and work among royalty? Her talents were being wasted in that tiny village, and it was clear that she was treated like an outcast.  At least here, in Aman, she would be valued for her contributions.

And if she didn’t want to work for him, then he would have to find a way to convince her.